Dickson, C. (n.d.). 10 Tips for Mastering Instagram - Digital Photography School. Digital Photography School RSS. Retrieved July 30, 2014, from http://digital-photography-school.com/10-tips-for-mastering-instagram/\
Eler, A., & McCune, Z. (2012, March 12). Why Do People Use Instagram . . Retrieved July 30, 2014, from http://readwrite.com/2012/03/14/study_why_do_people_use_instagram
Kessler, E. (2013). Social Media and the Movement of Ideas. European Judaism, 46(1), 26-35. doi:10.3167/ej.2013.46.01.04
Nanji, A. (2013, September 30). What Are the Best Days and Times to Post on Instagram?. MarketingProfs. Retrieved July 30, 2014, from http://www.marketingprofs.com/charts/2013/11752/what-are-the-best-days-and-times-to-post-on-instagram
Nitzburg, G. C., & Farber, B. A. (2013). Putting Up Emotional (Facebook) Walls? Attachment Status and Emerging Adults' Experiences of Social Networking Sites.Journal Of Clinical Psychology, 69(11), 1183-1190. doi:10.1002/jclp.22045
Penner, E. (2013, October 23). 7 tips for drool-worthy Instagram photos - ATE. ATE. Retrieved July 30, 2014, from http://www.accordingtoelle.com/2013/10/tips-for-great-instagram-food-photos/
Instagram’s Instant Nostalgia - The New Yorker. (2012, April 12). The New Yorker. Retrieved July 30, 2014, from http://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/instagrams-instant-nostalgia
Instagram, (created in October 2010) from its variety of
popular filters to its easy three second upload of endless selfies and pretty
shots of landmarks; Instagram has this ability to turn our lives into a picture
perfect story book.
But it far exceeds just a simple social networking app as
Instagram is an entire culture of photo sharing and engagement.
The “Instagram
Culture” as Zachary McCune, a researcher on a fellowship studying the software
of Instagram users explains, “That the Instagram culture is a users’ composing
and sharing of photos, commenting on other people’s photos, engaging in
dialogue and discussions, but also studying the patterns of photos and being a
part of sub-communities”.
As McCune highlights, the Instagram culture is almost
like a brand new world that combines the love of photography with this
idea of individuals engaging in communication, connection, and relationship
building.
And the mobile app goes beyond the
little iconic camera symbol that seems to be appearing everywhere, from our
phones, popular websites, and businesses. Instagram is far more complex then
what it first started out as which was, “just a fun and quirky way to share
your life with friends through a series of pictures” (Kevin Systrom, CEO, co-founder of Instagram).
Each user even owns a personal profile and ability to make a username specifically to his or her liking. With
the tap of your username, individuals can take a look at what you are sharing
and they are given a glimpse of how your life is playing out from pictures from
afar. The app also allows for tagging and hash-tagging which allows users to link
a followers profile to a specific photo, comment, or caption and the ability to
search for anything that interests you. But again, it’s all about what you share
that makes this app so fascinating because you can virtually share anything
with anyone with just a tap of a button.
Instagram also has a
caption/comment limit of twenty-four hundred words which usually contains
beautiful song lyrics, meaningful quotes, a list of unrelated hashtags, and/or
even a small description behind each photo. Having a limit of characters is a
way to make sure that the app focuses on pictures and for the users to develop
their own interpretation and perception of what these pictures say and mean to
them. In a way, it is for users to find their own connection with the photos
they see and the people they follow.
But again, Kevin Systrom and MikeKieger, the CEO and co-founders of Instagram, found a way of bringing photos on
a fun and entertaining level as the app has something called “Instagram days of
the week” in which you post and hashtag photos according to each weekly trend.
But the Instagram Culture does not
stop there as there are even phrases/terms used by more of the die-hard users
of this popular app.
“Instagram Worthy”: A terminology
expressed by users of Instagram to determine if a photo is deemed “worthy” by
the terms of the Instagram culture (i.e. popularity, correct use of filters, a
potential for a high number of likes and followers, a certain story of
perspective behind it). But the term is also complex in that many individuals have
their own definition of what “Instagram worthy photos” means to them.
In To Instagram or Not?, a blog about by All things Alisa, the blogger
explains that what makes a photo “Instagram worthy” is by her own standards as
she explains, “usually my decisions are instantaneous, if it’s cute I post it,
if I look good, I post it, if I wanna make people jealous, I post it…..”. So
again, “Instagram Worthy” for Alisa is defined by her own likings and standards
of the photos she takes.
(selfies by Alisa)
But not for everyone, as Elle
Penner, the blogger behind According to
Elle, who wrote "7 Tips for DroolWorthy Instagram Photos", believe it is all about the manipulation of photos
that makes or breaks a photo deemed as “Instagram Worthy” as she states that it
is all about “the right angles, light, placing things in the right place of
interest, simple background”. In other words, for Elle, Instagram is all about
what is visually and artistically appealing to the eye that makes certain
photos “worthy” enough to upload.
(Photos by elle @ellepennerd)
And there is another phrase used
which is “Instagram Hour”:
“Instagram Hour”: is a terminology expressed
by users of Instagram to determine the best hour in which your most dedicated
followers will provide positive feedback in the form of comments and “likes”.
In ,What Are the Best Days and Times to Post on Instagram? By Ayaz
Nanji, the author presents that even Fortune 500 companies use Instagram and
post most frequently on Thursdays between 3-4pm as a business strategy to
advertise products and services. However, a study done on Instagram hours and
engagement revealed that, “Posts during business hours are only 6% more effective than
off-hour posts”, explaining that there is no major significance between the
time you post and feedback.
However, that may not
be true for individuals who use the account just for the purpose of basic photo
sharing as, John Paul Titlow, the author of, “When is the Best Timeto Post on Instagram?”, explains that effective Instagramming has a lot to do
with the time in which you upload as he says that “the ideal time to post a
photo on Instagram varies from users to user. It depends somewhat on what time
zone the bulk of followers reside in, among other factors”. Again, knowing your
followers and what times they most use Instagram is key in producing those
likes and comments you most desperately hope for.
I have a funny story actually, a
couple of weeks ago I took a selfie and posted it on Instagram and I posted it
at a time that I knew most of my main “likers” were not on. So I posted the
picture and I only got 12 likes. So then I was surprised and a little
embarrassed, so I took it down and re-uploaded it a few hours later and I then
got 23 likes (Okay I know what you are thinking…but can you blame me). Not only
is this embarrassing because people who previously liked and seen the picture
were really confused but it goes to show that sometimes, everyone finds
themselves concerned with the response to there upload. And although it is frustrating
that sometimes my 600 followers don’t double tap my photos…..I'm still going to
continue to share (Even if
that means to re-upload for more likes…..just kidding).
I should have remembered what time it was…..
Take a look at what these filters do for the photo, each filter conveys it's own story...it's own emotion, people pick certain filters not only to artistically add emphasis or to make a bad quality photo look better, it is also to convey a certain emotion or certain feeling along with the photo.
Take another look, this is a before and after shot of using the "Rise" filter on Instagram. I am not necessarily "distorting reality" but I am adding a bit of color back and brightening it in a way that looks like I was hit by the "sunrise". I also wanted it to go along with a quote I posted along with it "Stone face but your heart belongs to me", the "after" photo does a better job at displaying that.
Last but not least, here is another photo, comparing and contrasting the way Instagrammers use the 19 filters, in this particular photo, the Instagram user is comparing the "normal" to "Nashville" and "Sierra", not so much that the "normal" photo is not special but both "Nashville" and "Sierra" finds another way to connect to what we are trying to convey.
And if this has not yet made your
head spin, the app took a page out of popular photo editing websites such as
Photoshop, in which Instagram now allows for digital edits to be made such as
brightness and contrast, saturation, red-eye removal, and cropping/alignment.
However, as one may wonder what
makes the 150 million monthly active users to continue to press that little camera
on their IPhones and Androids; lies beneath the surface of the app.
Instagram is much more than a mere
snapshot of current events, selfies, another basic social media site, a lack of
creativity and a cheap snag off of photography lessons as some researchers
claim; I argue that Instagram carries a sort of aesthetic quality radiating
thought provoking emotions that are sometimes impossible to find in this world.
What Instagram has done for our world is incredible because Instagram brings attention
to the beauty of life through photos, a sense of new perspective that is
motivating and inspiring, but what it also does is brings a sense of belonging
that we all so desperately need.
Instagram is another dimensional
world; a world connected by photos in which, “convey feelings, report
historical events and convey the emotion and drama attached to those events,
offer glimpses into other people’s points of view, show us realities and lives
that are completely foreign to us”. John Suler, the author of "Why we like photos so much,"exemplifies
how the simplistic idea of photo sharing takes users to a whole new level of
social media usage. It is not so much about catching up with old friends and
reconnecting with people back in high school anymore, it is about capturing the
simple and precious things in life and being able to explore, share, and
exchange those things with the world.
This
photo crazed world also brings a sense of nostalgia for some and for others Instagram
is a keepsake virtual album and even a visual way to see your own life story. As one author from The New Yorker who wrote "Instagram's Instant Nostalgia", put it's, "We are creating a kind of instant nostalgia for moments that never quite were". That is
exactly why Instagram is so powerful because pictures are the proof to an
experience and without taking the photo, people can only rely on a memory. In Christina Dickenson’s, “10 Tips for Mastering Instagram”, and being an avid user of Instagram
herself, she explains that “photos tell stories, convey meaning, and capture
moments we’d like to remember”.
When
you tap to a friend’s account, it is almost like every picture is a chapter of
their life, each with its own adventure, its own symbolism, and its own
meaning, which leaves a sort of mysterious aura that may be one of the
underlying reasons individuals crave the app. Instagram is a story book of
pictures, as Dickenson highlights that the pictures “captures life’s milestones”
as well as some pictures are “now sitting as my phone background, reminding me
how precious these peaceful moments are in life”.
Take a
look at a couple of these photos and think about what is so moving and so
beautiful about each of these, when I take a look at each of these photos, it
brings me to a place of peace, it makes me want to see what else this world has
to offer, it makes me want to dive into the picture and never to come back to
the harsh and cruel realities of our world. Again, an author from The New Yorker, who wrote "Instagram's Instant Nostalgia", explains that "All photographs are memento mori. To take a photograph is to participate in another person’s (or thing’s) mortality, vulnerability, mutability. Precisely by slicing out this moment and freezing it, all photographs testify to time’s relentless melt". The author's words captures exactly the power behind a photo. A photo freezes time but what it also does is gives you access to another person's, thoughts, emotions, and feelings. When I take a look at these photos, it is almost as if the world stopped for a moment and allowed me to take these shots almost as if the world revealed itself to me. And that is exactly what the power of a photo can do.
John Suler highlights my
point as he says that, “Instagram temporarily disarms us of our own view of the
world, and allow us to experience it in a fresh way. Just as flow allows us to
lose a sense of time and become absorbed into our task, mindfulness allows us
to lose a sense of the world, and focus completely on the present moment”. That
is precisely what Instagram did; it made me start to see the world through
three lenses instead of two making me appreciate life’s beauty and all the
little treasures that come along with it. Instagram made me appreciate the
present moment for once instead of looking for the common “what’s next?” For
once we are stopping to look at the world and seeing the true beauty behind
life.
Again, Dickenson explains that because of Instagram she “noticed a little art or beauty
in my daily life, everywhere I go, I find myself constantly asking, “is there a
great shot here”. Her words are exactly why people keep coming back to
Instagram and the reason why people are falling in love with picture taking; it
is almost as if we are starting to get excited about life, the life that
sometimes gets dull, boring, and too routine-like. It’s this simple idea of
photo sharing that is bringing people back to life.
One of the main reasons that social
media became so popular is it’s need for social engagement and that cannot
happen unless people post content such as pictures, text, and videos. Posting
and sharing is a way for individuals to express themselves and this expression
is what inspires and motivates us. So in a way they are not only expressing for
their selves but they are expressing for others to take a look and see as well.
Although one should ever be living for the satisfaction of others, what
Instagram does is build emotional intelligence and compassion as this is a
community of individuals expressing themselves daily.
Take a look at both pictures, how does it move you? what does it do for you? It makes some individuals want to eat
healthier, exercise “you can do it, I can do it mentality”, it makes others
want to support cancer relief, become a nurse, work in the health field....it inspires...it motivates..it connects....and it builds.
Again, people
are expressing themselves on Instagram through art, music, writing, dancing,
and among other things, they want to show the world that they are pursuing
things that they are most passionate about. In How Can We Use Social Media ToCultivate Happiness, by SmileEpidemic, that is the basis behind the writers essay, that we should
take our social media usage and turn it into a way to cultivate society in a positive
direction. We should use Instagram as a tool to inspire and a tool to get
inspired because that is what will build a better you and build a better world. The writer also explains that we should use social media to foster real-life social connection; sending funny pictures to brighten a relatives day, post a photo of something you appreciate, or tag a photo of your friends to let them know you are thinking about them. That is how one builds there relationship; they share and engage and altogether can cultivate happiness within there own social media usage.
I
often times look at my own Instagram usage, I am an Instagrammer because I have this dying love for photography
but what I am also doing is expressing myself through my piano compositions
that I post. When I post a 15 second video of my piano composition and I find
myself with 20 likes and positive feedback; that inspires me to continue doing
what I love. What I am trying to get across is that if I have the opportunity
to make others passionate and expressive about the things they love, then I will
continue to express myself and to others. If I see someone post their love for
food or dance, then hey, I want to try that too and if I fail, then I’ll have
gained an experience which is most important of all.
Another way that Instagram has expanded
past typical the typical social media stigma is Instagram’s way of fostering
relationships building a community. Again, as I explained before, everyone
wants to belong somewhere, whether that is a small group or a large
organization, people want to connect with others. In Ken Mueller’s, “11 Reasonswhy People Love and Use Social Media”, the author explains that this need to
belong is, “why we join groups and organizations. We join clubs, churches, and
civic organizations. But what social media does is allows us to be a part of
community, not dictated by space or location, and in general, these communities
tend not to be exclusive, nor do they have insurmountable barriers to entry.”
Instagram in itself is a community, a community of people sharing their lives, their
stories, and their interests and as the author explains, there is no limit, no
standards or rules.
Even a study done by George C. Nitzburg and Barry A. Farber’s, Putting Up Emotional (Facebook) Walls? Attachment Status and Emerging Adults’ Experiences of Social Networking Sites, explores that individuals who struggle with social anxiety and social disorders are using sites like Instagram or Facebook as a needed comfort or a way for individuals to escape. Those same people who are posting selfies or beautiful scenery may be using photo sharing as an outlet for their anxiety. The users of social media all share one thing in common, they all want to be seen and heard, they want to be the criticizer as well as the publisher, and most of all everyone wants to be a part of something, whether that is large or small.
Nevertheless, whether the group or community is large or small, Alicia Eler, the author who wrote, Why People Use Instagram, as well as
investigated Instagram, highlights that “People want more than anything to
exchange images with others throughout the network, find people with whom they
had common interest, document the world around them” and Instagram is the
perfect venue for that. We can explore virtually anything we want, see other people's interests and passions, share our own experiences.
As Edward Kessler,
the author behindSocial Media and the Movement of Ideas,, puts
it, social media provides a space for us to discuss ideas, concerns,
complaints, and to share frustrations but what it also does is unite,
strategize, and fosters change. Kessler’s words reveals that we share this
sense of commonality because there is this constant ongoing sharing of art,
politics, music, rants, sports through photos and so on, and because of people
sharing beautiful scenery or a painting, It has created a web of social
engagement.
Again, McCune, points that “there are a lot of
things in a photo that someone can respond to, promote conversation and then
you get a wonderful interaction out of it”, which is exactly what the creators
of Instagram envisioned; making photography engaging.
And that is exactly the design behind Instagram, the founders wanted to create this
keepsake or visual story for you so that you do not have to just speak but you
can show visuals of you experiences. This is what fosters connection and
relationships, the ability to share a memory or experience, but what it also
does is provide a connection to your own identity. In this world, people are
quickly judged and easily misunderstood, but Instagram paves a way to get rid
of inequality in a sense that everyone is on Instagram for one thing, the
enjoyment of photo taking and photo sharing of everyday things.
I
wanted to reflect upon my own Instagram experience, other
Instagram users actually inspired me to start living in a way in which I appreciated
and wanted to gain experiences and memories.
I am an Instagrammer, because I love the idea of taking pointless selfies and taking pictures of food that didn’t actually taste all that great and sharing it to the world. I like appearing on people’s newsfeeds and racking up a bunch of likes because maybe it is filling that empty space of achieving popularity that I lacked in high school.
I love Instagram because I feel like I am a part of something, a part of a community of individuals sharing with the world, expressing themselves. Maybe some are sharing for the wrong reasons and maybe some people are looking for “Instagram Fame” but whatever the reason, they are expressing themselves and sharing nonetheless and I think that’s pretty amazing.
I am an Instagrammer because I am a majoring in creative advertising. Visuals and concepts are my life. Instagram gives me inspiration and motivation to take on more experiences and live life to its fullest, taking every opportunity possible, so that I can share my story with others. Maybe I don’t have a smile on my face 24/7 and I am not hanging out with my friends every day, but by having an Instagram I am showing others and myself that I am finally putting the life back into my life.
What Instagram did for me was made me more excited than ever to
take family photos and go on little trips with people. Instagram made me realize that I was alive but
just not living. I was not going out and seeing the world, I was not valuing relationships
or time but ever since I began to bring a camera everywhere I went, I started
to see how beautiful this world really is. How beautiful people really are. How
important my posts are to some people. How important people’s posts are to me. How
important these posts are to my own life story.
Moreover, Instagram allowed us to gain perspective
on new experiences that are sometimes not seen or captured by us. It brings to
light the passions, evokes emotions, the artistic expression, the aesthetic and
connection and is altogether motivating and that is why Instagram is so
refreshing because it’s not just an another social networking/media app. Instagram
is a community let alone an actual culture not limited by the number of
followers you have or the way you look, Instagram brings freedom to photo
sharing. Individuals can take any type of picture they want without making a
big deal about them or losing the artistic expression that makes YOUR shots
unique from others. These precious yet simple moments in life are starting to
become important to us again, almost as if we are really valuing our time here
on earth.
Instagram is so fascinating because the picture you took with your
newborn niece tells a story, it’s a memory but it is also art. Maybe there is
something even deeper behind the photo sharing element of Instagram, maybe it
is a web of artists, inventors, and creative thinkers to come together and
change the world. Some say that Instagram alters the real world, but Instagram is the real world, just portrayed from the lens of a camera.
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